NURS 6051-N26 Transforming Nursing And Healthcare Through Information Technology

EMR stands for Electronic Medical Records. It is “a paperless, digital and computerized system of maintaining patient data, designed to increase the efficiency and reduce documentation errors by streamlining the process.” (Santiago, n.d., para. 1)

As patient information is readily available in the electronic record, it makes health care provider make better and quicker choices and decisions. These decisions can be based on evidence base care that is supported through data that is gathered from the patient’s records. EHR improves patient safety by providing access to information, eliminating gaps of communication among the different providers, decrease redundancy, and reduces duplication in testing. EHR has benefited health care and at the same time create positive outcomes for the nurses. Some of the positive outcomes for nurses are; comparison of previous to current data, improves documentation of the quality of care, allows recognition of the work done in measurable units by nurses, and reduces redundancy with baseline demographic data (Hebda & Czar, 2013). Data that is summarized through the EHR can evaluate performance management and look at quality issues. Along with those features, EHR can potentially increase efficiency, improved quality of care, standardize documentation, increase clinical workflow, and improved overall outcomes for

The nurse I interviewed has been in the field since 1995, approximately 22 years. When she started her career, she was a nurse in the medical surgical unit of a relatively small (80 beds) community hospital in rural Iowa. At that point, the hospital was still completely reliant on paper-based medical records. She remembers instances, where records would be misplaced or completely lost by forgetful doctors. Her first introduction to an EHR was when she moved to Georgia and started working at Grady Memorial Hospital in Atlanta. Grady had recently implemented EPIC software and was transitioning fully to EHRs. From what she can remember the shift from a paper-based system to an EHR at Grady was not disruptive. In fact, she remembers a long span of time (weeks) where hospital operations, specifically, patient registration and medical record keeping and billing decreased in efficiency as a result of the new system.

Fortunately, we do utilize computerized charting as well as the physician order entry system, but there is room for improvement in our home health organization. Epic home health is the system that we utilize, unfortunately, internet service is required to sync/update patient information. In order to review previous nurse, physician notes, and lab/test results internet service is needed. Many of our patients live in rural areas where cell phone service and internet service is not available. Therefore, we must often wait until we return to the home health office to find the patient information we need and to submit our charting. I am grateful our organization utilizes computerized charting, but often it is difficult to communicate with other healthcare providers or pull up pertinent patient information while in the field. Certified nursing assistants, nurses, physical therapists, social workers, and case managers are all required to use the same charting system, using the same system does improve communication within the organization. Nurse Managers review our charting on a regular basis and provide staff members with feedback and updates if changes are made in the computerized system. Also, technical service representatives are available 24-7 for employees to assist with questions and to address technical issues regarding

EMR’s and charting are becoming a bigger part of an ever changing aspect in the world of healthcare and should be used more in the Emergency Department at GLWACH and in all Emergency Departments across the nation. With further research looking into ways to fix any glitches and provide continued upgrade of systems, EMR’s have the potential to reduce health care costs, improve efficiency, and to enhance the quality of care and patient safety that is provided by the nurse and the rest of the medical staff in the Emergency Department. At this time GLWACH Emergency Department does use paper charting but the paper charts do get scanned and uploaded onto a computerized system to be made part of their permanent EMR.

When asked about the reasoning for this dissatisfaction, these practices all had the same response: lost productivity. Data loss and lack of privacy seem to be really big concerns with the adoption of an EHR, and many offices fear that switching to an electronic method of charting widens the opportunity for chart information to be lost or stolen. Along with these reasons, poor usability and inefficient processes seem to be other concerns about the use of the EHR. The main concern with the adoption of the EHR, however, is inadequate training and support for those who have to learn the new charting process in order to adapt to the usage of the EHR in that particular office. Although these concerns seem to be mediocre to the outside people looking in, to the people involved in using the systems these simple issues can cause huge

I myself have been exposed to paper and electronic charting system. I actually went for training when the electronic medical record was being introduced. With its introduction, it encountered some challenges because of lack of knowledge on electronic technology but I bet now, it is irreplaceable looking at the benefits it has brought to the provision of quality and improved patient care. Per Stephanie Sheridan, for electronic health record to be sustainable, APNs need to specialize in computer technology and utilize their past clinical expertise to bridge the gap of computer and clinician (Sheridan, 2012). APNs are held at higher standards same as physicians thus reliable and valid data to substantiate their practice in improving and pioneering

The article written by Aziz Jamal, Kirsten McKenzie, and Michele Clark. All three from School of Public Health of Queensland University of Technology. I think that intended audience for this article is directly health care institutions and their stakeholders, and also ant health care providers. In nursing practice, we use Health Information Technologies on everyday basis and it affects our practice and patient care. This article shows in what ways it affects health care practice and patient care outcomes. The article presents a review of 23 studies that was conducted in order to see how much use of information technologies in health care improve quality of patient care. Health information technologies that was involved in these studies are

I work for Inova Loudoun Hospital and the electronic medical record that we use is EpicCare. We used to work with paper charting, but once Inova changed to electronic charting it has been great. The electronic charting makes my job and the job of other healthcare providers much easier and faster. I remember that I used to call the doctors a lot to clarify orders because I was not able to read their handwriting. What I like the most about EMR is that everything you need to know about your patient is at your fingertips and that you can use that data to predict what your patient is going to need. “Nursing informatics is a necessity, not a luxury, in today’s rapidly changing healthcare delivery system” (Hebda & Czar 2013).

What’s different? A lot. No doubt we nurses have realized that we can have access to more clinical data than ever before, and although that’s a benefit, it also comes with more responsibility. In order to utilize this wealth properly, a nurse had to become familiar with new tools that will help him/her access and interpret data quickly and, most important, accurately. These new tools are coming from information technology that’s being built and implemented by caregivers.

Nursing informatics has an enormous impact on current and everyday nursing practice as it influences everything we do. Nursing informatics has an important impact on patient safety, which led to most health care facility removing the use of paper documentation and are exclusively on computers because of its positive impact on patient safety. (Ghaemmaghami, 2014).

Andrea, as you mentioned Electronic health records not only enhances patient care but also patient safety. Healthcare delivery environment is dramatically changing and nursing is in the midst of these changes. Health care providers are expected to provide safe and competent care in a highly technical and digital environment. Today nurses are expected to know about new developments and new technologies. Among these new developments, the use of information system and technologies to improve the quality and safety of patient care is important. Nurses are responsible for direct patient care as well as the coordinator for each patients care. To view a patient’s health history, document an assessment or researching evidence based guidelines for patient

Great synopsis of how the electronic health record (EHR) affects both direct and indirect patient care and health assessments. I have found in my practice EHR’s can be good and bad. In 2014 my organization transitioned to a new EHR and quadruped the amount of technology used by all members of the health care team. The nursing had the most impact, with the introduction of: integrated bedside monitoring (BMDI), smart-pump integration, bar-code medication administration, electronic care-plans, admission assessment and flowsheet documentation.

Electronic medical records had a great impact in the ushering in of the age of Nursing Informatics. (Himss, 2010)EMRS present healthcare professionals with the ability to retrieve and organize data in a quick and efficient approach. With information so readily available, patient safety increases and we know that patient cost goes down. This happens because patient medications, allergies, history, demographic, and treatment information is more collectively available.

Another big plus of the EHRs is that studies have shown that it has helped providers improve accuracy of diagnoses and health outcomes (Couch, 2008). For example, nurses could have reliable access to patients complete health information and have pictures which would help with whatever problem they might encounter. EHR doesn’t just keep patients medications and allergies, it also check for problems whenever a new medication is prescribed and it also alerts the nurse of potential problems (Couch, 2008). EHRs can also tell the nurse if potential safety problems occur, which helps them avoid more serious consequences for patients, which can lead to better outcomes. The EHRs can also help nurses quickly identify and correct operational problems, which compared to the paper-based setting, those kinds of problems would be more difficult to correct. It can also help